Applicant has identified a particular problem when selling inventory, such as travel services including accommodation allotments, flights and other transport services. The problem is a result of the manner in which such inventory is allocated to various re-sellers, referred to as distribution channels (“Channels”), which can be ad hoc and thus inefficient.
It will be appreciated that efficient selection of Channels for such inventory can allow vendors to achieve a selling price that corresponds with demand for the inventory in the Channels. In this way, an optimum price for, and supply of the inventory in each Channel could be achieved with such correct selection.
While this invention is intended to cover a wide variety of inventory-types, Applicant has discovered that particularly the travel and accommodation industries would benefit greatly from efficient allocations of inventory to various Channels. A primary reason for this is that the traveling public is now able to book and pay online for practically all of its travel and accommodation needs via various online travel/accommodation reseller portals and agencies, which can be regarded as Channels. The online reseller market is particularly large in this field and the various Channels have the potential to be extremely successful.
The particular problem discovered by the Applicant is that the market has forced vendors to commit physical inventory to particular Channels in a relatively ad hoc manner. Furthermore, where the inventory is accommodation which needs to be sold between particular dates, any attempt to achieve efficiency by selecting the most efficient Channels can become extremely difficult. In particular, Applicant has found that most independent hotels and accommodation properties lack the resources to have members of staff dedicated to managing allocations to Channels. Applicant has found that it is practically impossible for them to manage this inventory in multiple Channels while still maintaining their businesses.